Do I need experience to apply?

Experience is preferred for servers and required for bartenders and captains, but porter and support roles are a genuine way in without it. Many of our servers and captains started there. If you’re not sure where you fit, apply with "Not Sure Yet" and we’ll figure it out together on the phone.

How flexible is the scheduling, really?

You submit your availability and we book you for events that match it. There’s no minimum shift quota and no penalty for the weeks you’re unavailable. The team members who work the most are simply the ones who open the most availability.

How quickly can I start working events?

Orientations for new team members are held weekly, so the path from application to your first event is short. Apply, take a quick call with our office, complete orientation, and you’re bookable.

What kind of events will I work?

Weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, corporate events, galas, and private celebrations at venues and homes across the North Shore, Chicago, and the suburbs. High-end events with hosts who value professional service.

Is this W-2 employment or independent contract work?

Roster members work as independent contractors (1099). You choose your availability, accept the events you want, and are responsible for your own taxes. We’re happy to explain how it works on your intro call.

Where are events located? Where do I need to live?

Events run throughout Chicago’s North Shore, the city of Chicago, and the surrounding suburbs. Our team commutes from all over Chicagoland.

Do I need experience to apply?

Experience is preferred for servers and required for bartenders and captains, but porter and support roles are a genuine way in without it. Many of our servers and captains started there. If you’re not sure where you fit, apply with "Not Sure Yet" and we’ll figure it out together on the phone.

How flexible is the scheduling, really?

You submit your availability and we book you for events that match it. There’s no minimum shift quota and no penalty for the weeks you’re unavailable. The team members who work the most are simply the ones who open the most availability.

How quickly can I start working events?

Orientations for new team members are held weekly, so the path from application to your first event is short. Apply, take a quick call with our office, complete orientation, and you’re bookable.

What kind of events will I work?

Weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, corporate events, galas, and private celebrations at venues and homes across the North Shore, Chicago, and the suburbs. High-end events with hosts who value professional service.

Is this W-2 employment or independent contract work?

Roster members work as independent contractors (1099). You choose your availability, accept the events you want, and are responsible for your own taxes. We’re happy to explain how it works on your intro call.

Do I need my own certifications?

Bartenders need Illinois BASSET certification, and food-handling roles need an Illinois Food Handler certificate.

Where are events located? Where do I need to live?

Events run throughout Chicago’s North Shore, the city of Chicago, and the surrounding suburbs. Our team commutes from all over Chicagoland.

Work the North Shore’s Best Events

Servers, bartenders, captains, chefs, and support staff who arrive ready to work the event in front of them. For 25 years, That Special Event has helped hosts, caterers, planners, and venues run weddings, mitzvahs, corporate events, and private parties with calm, professional hospitality.

Apply Now — Takes Under 2 Minutes

Why the Best Event Staff Work Here

You Set Your Availability

Tell us when you can work; we book you for events that fit. Weekends only, weeknights only, full seasons: the schedule flexes around your life, not the other way around.

Great Events and Clients

Weddings, mitzvahs, galas, and private celebrations at beautiful venues and homes across the North Shore and Chicago. High-end events attract great coworkers and better shifts.

Trained In-House

Hands-on training led by experienced captains and management. Table service, buffet service, bar support, client interaction: we teach the standard, then we work it beside you. New-team orientations are held weekly.

25 Years of Reputation

That Special Event has been the name in North Shore event staffing since 1999. Venues know us, clients request us by name, and the people who work with us stay for years.

Find Your Role

Event Bartender

Professional bar service for weddings, mitzvahs, and private events. BASSET certification required.

Learn more

Event Captain

Lead the room: direct the team, run the timeline, own the event. Our captains are the best in the business, and many rose from our own server roster.

Learn more

Chef and Kitchen Staff

Chefs, cooks, and kitchen support for catered events: prep, plating, execution, and a clean hand-back.

Learn more

Porter and Event Support

Setup, breakdown, coat check, and the behind-the-scenes muscle that makes events run. A great way in; many of our servers and captains started here.

Learn more

ChatGPT Image Sep 12, 2026, 05_13_17 PM.png

A Day on the Team

You arrive to a briefing, not chaos. A captain walks the team through the event, the room, and the timeline. You work the event with people who take the craft seriously, for clients celebrating the biggest days of their lives. And when the last table is cleared, you go home knowing exactly when your next event is, because you chose it.

From Application to Your First Event in 3 steps

Step 1

Apply in under two minutes

Name, contact, role, experience, availability. No resume needed to start, and you can do it from your phone right now.

Step 2

A real person calls you

Jerry’s office reaches out quickly for a short conversation about your experience and your schedule.

Step 3

Orientation, then your first event

New-team orientations are held weekly at our Northbrook office. Complete yours, and you’re on the roster and bookable for events that match your availability.